Sandyback stingaree

4/14/2018

Source: Ken Graham

The sandyback stingaree (Urolophus bucculentus) is also known as the sandy-backed stingaree and the great stingaree. Found in the continental shelf and the uppermost slope, they are endemic to southeastern Australia.

Reaching a total length (TL) of about 80 cm, they seem to be slow growers compared to other urolophid species. Observed at 100 to 230 metres deep, they love warm temperate waters. But even down that deep, they are taken as bycatch in trawl fisheries off Australia. The problem with this? Not only does it not seem to be utilized (such as food) and often thrown away, but the urolophids have a high rate of abortion when caught and handled. Not good at all!

They enjoy munching on crustaceans and give birth to about five (5) pups every other year after a 14-19 month gestation period. Momma sandyback stingarees supply their unborn pups with histotroph ("uterine milk"). IUCN has assessed these animals as Vulnerable (VU).

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GLOSSARY

Continental shelf: Extends from a continent underwater, resulting in a shallow-water area.
Continental slope: The steep slope from a continental shelf to the ocean floor; usually around 20 km (12.4 miles) wide and made up of mud and silt substrate. It is an ideal area for deep sea fishing.
Crustaceans: Group of animals with a hard exoskeleton, jointed legs and segmented body.
Dorsal fin: Fin located on the back.
Dorsal side: The top of an animal.
Gestation: The period in which a fetus develops, beginning with fertilization and ends at birth.
Histotroph: Uterine milk.
IUCN: International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Pup: Give birth to baby sharks (pups).
Pups: Baby sharks.
Temperate waters: The water between tropical seas and the Polar Regions (10-21° C, 50-69.8° F).
Viviparous with yolk-sac: Also known as aplacental viviparous and previously known as ovoviviparous/ovoviviparity; it is the production of eggs that are fertilised and hatch inside the female shark but the embryos lack a placental connection to the oviduct or uterus and so do not feed off the mother.